Match-strip feeding mechanism for



July 12, 1938. PARKER 2,123,487

MATCH STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 27, 19:57 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 12, 1938. E. PARKER 2,123,437

MATCH STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 27, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 12, 1938. E PARKER 2,123,487

MATCH STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Feb 2'7, 1957. 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 12, 1938 MATCH-STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR- MATCH BOOKING MACHINES" Lucian E. Parker, Wadsworth, Ohio, assignor to The Diamond Match Company, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware New York,

Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,079

Claims.

This invention relates to match booking ma chines, and particularly to strip-feeding mech anism therefor whereby relatively. long strips of matches are accurately positioned with their butts 5 or uncut margins in co-operative relation to a cutting element effective to sever the strips into match cards of suitable size for match books preparatory to the association of the cards with match book covers. A match booking machine of the general character mentioned is described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,042,472, dated October 29, 1912, to which reference may be had.

The principal object of my invention is to pro- 7 vide simple and reliable mechanism whereby the match strips are intermittently fed in uniform steps to the cutting element of the booking machine in such manner as to enable the machine to run at increased speed and to improve its practical operation and efliciency.

With this object in view my invention, generally stated, comprises a series of equally-spaced feed dogs overhanging the match strip path that intersects the active path of the cutter, which dogs are simultaneously reciprocated with a stroke equal to the determined width of a match card and also are so arranged that the dogs in their back or idle strokes consecutively seat themselves adjacent the extreme end of the the match strips remote from the cutter and which dogs in their active strokes successively advance the match strips the determined distance in timed relation to the cutter.

The invention also comprises structural features and combinations of parts which, in a preferred form, will be hereinafter described; the scope of the invention being expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section,

of a portion of a match booking machine equipped with match strip feeding mechanism embodying the principle of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through two series of feed dogs and the respective cutter blades, showing the match strips and the relation of the dogs thereto during the operation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the match strip supporting table showing the cutters, a series of feed dogs and the reciprocative support therefor, said dogs being represented in co-operative relation to a pair of superposed match cards on the table and being also indicatedin dotted lines as in raised or idle position.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the feed dog structure and the table, as on the 5 line 55 of Fig. 4. v 3

.Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a portion of the match strip supporting table, the feed dogs, and the cutters.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of a safety pivotal 10 connection for the feed dog structure.

Fig. 8 is a similar detail of said connection.

Referring to the drawings, I0 designates a suitable supporting frame, including a table I I upon and .along which is guided the upper run of an 15 intermittently movable endless carrier I2 constituted by a chain of links whereof each is constructed to receive and support a match book cover and a match card or cards, as C. The chain is intermittently driven by suitable mecha 20 anism comprising in the present instance a gear I3 in mesh with rack teeth on the links. The stud shaft of the gear wheel bears a pinion I I in mesh with the gear face of a pin wheel I5 on a lower stud shaft I6, the pins of which latter 5 wheel co-act with a suitable cam I! on themain shaft I8 of the machine.

A strip-setting plunger I9, which is guided on a forward extension of the table and is reciprocative transversely of the latter, is connected at 30 its respective ends by means of links 20 with twoarms 2| fast on a shaft 22 journaled in brackets 23 depending from the table. One of the arms is connected by means of a link 24 with an upstanding arm 25 loosely mounted on the drive 35 shaft I8. ()n this arm is a roll 26 which is operatively fitted in the race of a face cam'2l on a longitudinal shaft 28 beneath the table. This shaft 28 is driven from the shaft I8 through coacting gear wheels in the usual manner. plunger I9 is held yieldingly in its rearward positicn by means of a spring 29 which is secured to one of the arms 2| and to the table. The contour of the cam race is such that at the proper interval of" time the plunger I9. is retracted 45 thereby against the force of the spring.'

A cover plate 30, constituting a supplemental table upon which the match strips, S, are initially deposited, overhangs the path of the plunger I9, in spaced relation to the carrier, so that 50 when the plunger is rearward match strips can be placed fiatwise'thereon from the table 30. This done, when the plunger I9 travels beneath such table 30 and away from the match strips imposed on the plunger, the strips fall upon the main 55 The 40 table II, whereupon in the next succeeding active stroke of the plunger I3 the opposing strips are pushed toward the carrier with their uncut margins or butts positioned below a pair of spaced cutters 3| depending from a vertically reciprocating head 32.

The cutters are constructed and operated to sever the strips into match cards, which cards during the upward or idle stroke of the cutters are pushed into covers in alignment therewith in the carrier by means of a card inserting plunger 33 reciprocative transversely of the main table. The card inserting plunger 33 is fastened to a slide plate 34 which is mounted within the feed table and is connected through a link 35 with the upper arm of a lever 36 loose on the shaft 22. The lower arm of the lever 36 is connected by means of a link 31 with a rock-arm 38 pivoted on a bracket 39 on the base of the supporting frame. On this rock-arm is a roll 40 which is fitted in the race of a face cam 4| on the main shaft la, the contour of the cam race being such as to effect the reciprocation of the card inserting plunger in timed relation to the cutters.

The foregoing described mechanisms are or may be similar in construction to the mechanisms for the same purpose described in Patent No. 1,042,472 aforesaid.

According to my present invention improved mechanism is provided whereby the match strip or strips when they are properly located upon the main table in respect to the active path of the cutter or cutters are uniformly advanced at intervals longitudinally of the table and beneath the cutter or cutters preparatory to the severing of succeeding cards from the leading end or endsof the strip or strips, which mechanism in the form illustrated is as follows:

Two series of reciprocating gravity feed dogs 42 are mounted to overhang the longitudinal paths on the table along which the match strips are intermittently advanced in opposite directions to the active paths of the respective vertically reciprocating cutters 3|. The two series of feed dogs and their supporting and actuating parts are substantially the same in construction and operation, save as to their opposite motion, and therefore a description of one series will suffice.

The dogs 42 of a series are pivotally supported in equally spaced relation by a longitudinally reciprocating bar 43 which overhangs the table adjacent and at right angles, or substantially so, to the path of the cutter to which the strips are to be fed. The end of the bar 43 remote from the cutter is pivotally supported, as at 44, on a post 45 rising from a slide 46 which is reciprocative toward and from the cutter. The slide is fitted in suitable guides 41 which are mounted on the table. The slide has a depending stud 48 hearing a roll 49 which is operatively fitted in the peripheral sinuous race of a cam 50 fast on the driven shaft 28 of the booking machine. The contour of the cam race and its speed in relation to the cutter and the card inserting mechanism are such that during each stroke of the bar 43 toward the cutter, the cutter is in raised position and the card inserting plunger is in retracted position, and during each succeeding back stroke of the bar the cutter descends and the card inserting plunger is reciprocated, the stroke of the bar 43 in each direction being equal to the width of a match card.

Each of the dogs in its preferred construction embodies ahead ii, a foot 52 and an inclined connecting member 53 between the head and foot. The head II is transversely perforated to receive a pivot 54 which projects laterally from and is supported by the'bar 43, the top of the head having oppositely-inclined surfaces 55 which directly underlie an overhanging abutment rail 56 which, being fastened on the bar, co-acts with the inclined surfaces of the head in a manner to limit the oscillatory motion of the dog. The bot-' tom of the front side of the foot is inwardly and downwardly bevelled, as at 51, and the inclination of the connecting member is such that when the bar is in down or active position the foot rests by gravity on the match stems of the underlying match strip, or similarly rests on the floor of the pathway for the strip when the strip is absent or when the dog is positioned beyond the outer end of the strip.

By virtue of its pivotal mounting the bar 43 can be swung upward so as to raise the dogs from the path of the match strips, as occasion may require, in which case the abutment rail by the contact of the opposed inclined surfaces 55 of the heads, maintains the dogs with their feet substantially horizontal, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, and when the bar is lowered upon the underlying match strips the dogs independently assume their active positions, as shown in Fig. 4.

The dogs rest upon the strip pathway immediately preceding the delivery of the match strips to the latter, in which case when the leading ends of the match strips in their edgewise delivery by the setting plunger l9 to the pathway impinge against the opposed inclined faces 51 of the dogs, such ends raise the dogs and pass thereunder, the dog at the outermost end of the series being so disposed in relation to the underlying strips that it rests upon the strip pathway at the outermost ends of the strips. Thereupon in the stroke of the bar and its dogs toward the cutter, the outer dog bears against the opposing end of the positioned strips and advances the leading end thereof to and beneath the adjacent cutter 3| a distance equal to the length of the stroke, while the remaining dogs ride idly upon and with the strips. Upon the completion of the active stroke of the bar the cutter descends and severs the margins of the match strips to produce match cards, and immediately thereafter the plunger 33 is actuated to insert such cards in the carrier of the booking machine. Meanwhile'the bar and its dogs are retracted, the second dog from the outer end of the series thus escaping and dropping directly behind the outermost end of the strips. Hence in the next succeeding active stroke of the bar and its dogs the match strips are advanced as before, and a card or cards are severed from the leading end of the strips and inserted in the carrier. Similar operations are repeated during each succeeding reciprocation of the dogs until the last cards have been positioned in the path of the inserting plunger 33, excepting that the severance of the final card or cards by the cutter is not required. However, the cutter in its descent adjacent the innermost dog cleanly severs any irregularities or projections that may be present on the outer ends of the marginal or butt portions of the strips, since the dog adjacent the cutter resting on the table and bearing against the outer edges of the match stems, is clear of such marginal or butt portions. In addition. the distribution along and the weight of the feed dogs upon the stems of the match strips perform the function of straightening out and holding down such strips during their intermittent advancement to the cutter.

Preferably the pivotal connection between the bar 43 and the post 45 is such that in the event of undue resistance to a feeding stroke of the bar and its dogs, independent movement of the bar in respect to the connection results, thus serving as a safety device to obviate Jamming of the feed devices. Accordingly one end of the pivot stud 44 is fixed to the post 45 and the other end carries a block 68 which is slidably fitted in an elongated guide opening 59 in the bar. The block has therethrough a vertical hole Bil in which is a spring M the ends of which bear oppositely against two opposed balls 62 at the respective ends of the hole and partially seat them in suitably-disposed sockets 63 in the inner faces of the guide opening 59 of the bar, thus yieldingly look-- ing the pivot block to such bar sufficiently to ensure the normal feeding action of the bar and its dogs while permitting the breaking of the connection under the condition mentioned.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular exemplifying form thereof herein disclosed, as the mechanisms may be modified within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. Mechanism for feeding a match-strip step by step towards the match-strip cutting and match-card inserting elements of a match booking machine, each step being equal to the width of a card, said mechanism comprising a reciprocative member, a succession of equally spaced dogs pivoted to said member, each dog having a weighted foot overhanging the path of the match-strip, the distance between adjacent dogs being equal to the width of a. match-card, and means for reciprocating said member, whereby the said dogs in their feeding strokes bear consecutively against the extremity of the strip, while in the return strokes the weighted feet of the dogs on the strip straighten out and hold down the match stems of the strips during their passage thereover.

2. Mechanism for feeding a match-strip step by step towards the match-strip cutting and match-card inserting elements of a match booking machine, each step being equal to the width of a card, said mechanism comprising a reciprocative member, pivotal supporting means for the reciprocating member, a succession of equally spaced dogs pivoted to said member, each dog having a weighted foot overhanging the path of the match strip, the distance between adjacent dogs being equal to the width of a match-card, means for reciprocating said member, whereby the said dogs in their feeding strokes bear consecutively against the extremity of the strip, said pivotal supporting means for the reciprocative member being arranged to permit the raising of the dogs above their feeding position, and stops for preventing the dogs from swinging beyond a predetermined position.

3. Mechanism for feeding a match-strip step by step towards the match-strip cutting and match-card inserting elements oi. a match booking machine, each step being equal to the width of a card, said mechanism comprising a reciprocative slide, a block pivotally mounted on the slide, a bar slidably mounted on the block, a sliplock connection between the block and bar, a succession of equally spaced dogs pivoted tosaid bar,

each dog having a weighted foot overhanging the path of the match-strip, the distance between adjacent dogs being equal to the width of a match-card, and means for reciprocating said slide, whereby the said dogs in their feeding strokes bear consecutively against the extremity of the strip, while in the return strokes the weighted feet of the dogs on the strip straighten out and hold down the match stems of the strips during their passage thereover.

4. Mechanism for feeding a match-strip step by step towards the match-strip cutting and match-card inserting elements of a match booking machine, each step being equal to the width of a card, said mechanism comprising a reciprocative member, a succession of equally spaced dogs pivoted to said member, each dog having a weighted foot overhanging the path of the match-strip, the front side of each dog having a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion, whereby the longitudinal marginal edges of the match-strips may be delivered under the feet of the dogs transversely to the direction of the feed of the dogs, the distance between adjacent dogs being equal to the width of a match-card, and means for reciprocating said member, whereby the said dogs in their feeding strokes bear consecutively against the extremity of the strip, while in the return strokes the weighted feet of the dogs on the strip straighten out and hold down the match stems of the strips during their passage thereover.

5. Mechanism for feeding a match-strip step by step towards the match-strip cutting and match-card inserting elements of a match booking machine, each step being equal to the width of a card, said mechanism comprising a reciprocative member, a succession of equally ,spaced dogs pivoted to said member, each dog having a weighted foot overhanging the path of the match'strip beyond the marginal edge thereof and over the match stems extending therefrom, the distance between adjacent dogs being equal to the width of a match-card, and means for reciprocating said member, whereby the said dogs in their feeding strokes bear consecutively against match stems at the extremity of the strip, while in the return strokes the weighted feet of the dogs on the strip straighten out and hold down the match stems of the strips during their passage thereover.

LUCIAN E, PARKER. 

